From Beyond
by SoA
Summary: The solar system of Moodahrn Sheernshahdae is being invaded by Queen Beryl and her minions. The seven senshi there cannot hold off her forces so they are left with just one choice...
1. Broken Peace

From Beyond

_Broken Peace_

Princess Ialla of Jancarmsa sat on the white marble railing, just above her small lagoon garden, lightly plucking out a melody on her lyre. She always considered it off that, as the soldier of the planet of music and life, she could only play one instrument. As the tall blond strummed her instrument, she stared out into the tree-shaded calm waters and pondered quietly to herself.

Despite the recently good summer weather, the king had died of a recent epidemic and the queen was failing. Ialla, through being kept away from anyone at court for over a month, managed to avoid the sickness. Soon, the young princess would be queen of her small planet.

Just then, a dark-haired servant slipped through the curtains from the princess's bedroom and onto the balcony. She cleared her throat nervously. Ialla stopped her plucking and muffled the strings with her hand. "Yes?" she asked.

"There is someone here to see you Highness," the maid explained, averting her eyes from Ialla's penetrating blue ones. "Begging your pardon, but she is very young. I cannot help but wonder what a child would want with the princess of this planet."

"Did she say her name?"

"Ena, Your Highness."

"Princess Ena of Yahrn, I would suppose?" she commented then ordered firmly, "Bring her here."

"Yes highness," the maid bowed and retreated through the green curtains, "Right away."

Ialla resumed her playing for a few minutes until a small girl with short, curly blond hair, a few shades darker than Ialla's, and light green eyes passed through the curtains onto the balcony. She looked frantic. Her whole body quivered with panic.

Ialla's eyes widened and she gently dropped her lyre on the balcony floor, hurrying over to the smaller girl and grasped her shoulders. "Ena!" she exclaimed, "What's the matter? Are your parents dead?" The summer epidemic had traveled to many of the other royals at diplomatic events recently. Ena's parents were not spared.

The young princess swallowed and nodded, "That, and worse."

"What?" Ialla asked, dismayed, "What could possibly be worse?"

"We're under attack," she said plainly.

Shock overcame Ialla and she could find no words.

The princess of Yahrn took a deep breath and continued, "A dark queen calling herself Beryl appeared on the Northern Reaches and has already destroyed the Eeshae Outpost with her monsters, _youma_. There are not any other towns for a ways from there, so we can stop the destruction if we hurry. Thrnaeslnae is the nearest if they continue in the direction."

"The crown city is next?" Ialla blurted. "Why haven't you told the Imperial Princesses yet? They have to know!"

Ena blushed and looked at the floor, blond curls falling into her face, "I'm so young, no one listens to me. It was hard enough getting to talk to you. I'd never get to speak to them. No one on the Inner Ring recognizes me. Can you tell them Ialla?"

"Why me?" she asked, "Mieaka is much closer to your planet and could take less of your time from the fight." She felt awkward and was suddenly uncomfortably aware of how she towered over the much smaller girl.

"Because people take you seriously. Besides, the people of the Golden City know of you almost as their own royalty."

Ialla blushed harder. Quickly changing the subject, she asked, "Is that all you think I should tell them then?"

Ena nodded.

Ialla nodded again in response. "It isn't my place to tell you, but," she started slowly, "you need to gather the others on your way back to Yahrn. We can't let them gain any more ground and need as much help as we can get."

Ena grinned, "You can say that. You know a lot better than I do. Anyway, I need to get going and so do you."

"Have my maid show you back to the transport chamber," she said and collected her lyre from the floor. She strode through the curtains and set the golden instrument on her bed.

"I know how to get there," Ena headed for the door then paused, "I'll see you at the Northern Reaches then?"

Ialla smiled, "Of course you will."

Ena disappeared quickly out into the hallway. Ialla strode out after her, turning the other direction. Standing just outside of the door was a maid, who the princess ordered, "Inform Mother I will not be at dinner tonight. I'm taking a trip to the Golden City then to Yahrn. There are troubles in Yahrn I need to help remedy."

"She said they were under attack," the maid observed quietly, "Is that true?"

"Do not repeat that to anyone but the queen and let her decide when it is time to spread the word, understand?" she snapped.

"Yes Highness," she answered meekly and bowed, hurrying off towards the queen's quarters.

Ialla rushed down to the transport room keyed to the Golden City. The room was abandoned as usual, save for the guard just outside of it that bowed deeply at her arrival. Glancing around to be doubly sure, she raised her right hand, which had the bracelet with the violet gem resting on it. Gazing up at it, she yelled, "Jancarmsa Planet Power, Makeup!" Moments later, she found herself no longer in her long violet dress, but in a short violet skirt and collar with tall violet boots and white gloves, adorned with teal bows. She glanced nervously down at the outfit. Although she had trained as a Sailor Senshi with the other six crown princesses of the system, it always felt odd to wear such a small item of clothing.

She remember her goal then stepped onto the transport platform. She looked up at the crystal mounted above her, then called out the triggering magic phrase, "Wsoo Golden City thdeen mwsahrnm lleen nyae!"

Sailor Jancarmsa was enveloped in while light and disappeared from the room.

Ena, as Sailor Yahrn, flew from Jancarmsa to Deewsdae. Bumping into Sivah in the stone corridors near the banquet hall as she hurried to find her, she pulled the older girl into a more private place and quickly explained the situation.

Princess Siva gasped, putting her hand over her mouth, "They must have killed many of your people already! We cannot let this destruction continue. If they were already at that part of the Northern Reaches when you left, they could easily be at the crown city. It might be too late to save Thrnaeslnae even now!"

"Don't talk like that Sivah, we still have time!" Sailor Yahrn scolded.

"A little time," she said slowly, then raised her right hand, "Deewsdae Planet Power, Makeup!" A moment later, both of the youngest crown princesses of the system stood side by side as Sailor Senshi, ready to defend their homes. "We need to get Rinnale!" she declared and hurried out of the room they conversed in and hurried to the Nearah transport room. The girls stepped onto the platform and immediately chimed together, "Wsoo Nearah thdeen mwsahrnm leen nyae!"

The two Sailor Soldiers hurried across the boardwalk bridge ways between the giant trees that supported the palace of Nearah. Sailor Yahrn did her best not to look down, even though the bridges were sturdy with secure railings, as heights bothered her. Sailor Deewsdae, on the other hand, spent the trip in awe, analyzing the structures and the sheer ancientness of the trees they were supported in. Only, when they stepped onto the main platforms of the huge wooden structure that spiraled awesomely up into the treetops around the large trees did the younger girl feel comfortable again. They climbed a few flights of spiraling stairs to another bridge way and crossed it to a smaller tree where the smaller royal wing of the palace was mounted above the ground.

Glancing down, Ena saw the boardwalks below among the ferns and undergrowth, a river rushing by just beyond the next portion of the tree-palace. She saw, down below, the transport chamber that they would have to use for their trip on to Oornahfthae and made a quick plan on how to get back down there. They stepped onto the sturdy platform around the tree and walked towards the curtained doorway into the royal wing when a guard stepped squarely in front of it.

"What do you want?" he demanded gruffly.

Sivah smiled sweetly, "Her Highness Princess Ena of Yahrn and myself are looking to see Her Highness Princess Rinnale over urgent matters."

"My apologies Highnesses," he said, still gruff, "But you cannot."

"Why not?" Yahrn gaped.

"Because she is at the Golden City now," he explained, "you shall have to find her there."

"Ialla will get her, I'm sure," the younger blond said quietly to her friend.

Despite his gruffness, the guard let them take a usually forbidden back stairway that spiraled all the way down to a wing of the palace, the library, much farther down on the same trunk. From there they took two more bridge ways and a short set of stairs down to the boardwalks and to the transport chamber. Again, they stood on the platform and gazed up at the crystal, "Wsoo Oornahfthae thdeen mwsahrnm leen nyae!"

"I can't believe we wasted so much time on Nearah for no reason," Sailor Deewsdae grumbled as they hurried down the orange stone halls of the Oornahfthae palace, all other people stepping quickly out of their way, "That place is a maze and so difficult to navigate."

"We couldn't have known not to stop though. We would have had to for the fastest transport anyway," Yahrn pointed out.

"I suppose you are right about that," she sighed and halted then pointed to a corridor to their left. "That is where her rooms are. This way!"

Pivoting on the heels of her Sailor boots, she hurried after the taller girl. Soon the stood outside of Princess Mieaka's door, calling in, "Mieaka! It's urgent, we need you now!"

The salmon-haired girl appeared immediately at the door. She yawned sleepily from the nap she had just woken from and asked, "What is this about?"

"Henshin quickly and we'll explain it all to you on the way to the transport room, I fear we are running out of time," Sailor Deewsdae said tersely.

Mieaka blinked at them once and raised her right hand, "Oornahfthae Planet Power, Makeup!" A moment later, she was dressed as Sailor Oornahfthae, soldier of the orange planet. Yahrn seized her wrist and drug her along as they jogged to the transport room. By the time they got there, Mieaka had been completely debriefed and was completely in shock.

"How can something like this be happening to Moodahrn Sheernshahdae?" she murmured quietly as they arranged themselves on the platform.

A moment later, they chorused together, "Wsoo Yahrn thdeen mwsahrnm leen nyae!" With that, the trio flew through space towards the outermost icy planet, hoping that Sailor Jancarmsa could find Rinnale, Ikio, and Nemai and hurry to assist them in the Northern Reaches where they were bound for.

Sailor Jancarmsa stepped off the transport platform into a room of three servants. All but one raised their eyes to her, scanning her apparel.

One of the servants, actually an armed guard, observed, "Princess Ialla of Jancarmsa!"

A maid asked, "What brings you here so attired?"

"I must speak to Their Highnesses Ikio and Nemai," Jancarmsa answered firmly, her midnight blue eyes hard.

The guard bowed, "Yes Princess, right this way." He strode quickly from the room, the senshi at his heels with her long strides almost overtaking his.

"They are in their quarters at this time of day," he said tersely as they walked.

Sailor Jancarmsa nodded gravely. Maids, servants, courtiers, and guards moved out of their way and almost fearfully. She was awed by the great number of them and the respect and discipline. The Golden City, she had no doubt, was the most prosperous and beautiful city anywhere, even more so than the Silver Millennium, the crown city of the nearest system to them, the Sol System. They passed behind some tall while pillars capped with gold that stood at the edge of the great hall and throne room. She spotted the emperor and empress of the system at the head of the hall, taking no notice of their royal visitor.

Off of the throne room, they passed through some heavy doors into the royal wing, which provided wider hallways than before and many more guards. All nodded small bows as she passed and she nodded back in response. Finally, they came to the door before the twin's suite. The two guards standing in front of the doorway, unlike those in the hall, stood firmly in their places.

"Her Highness Princess Ialla of Jancarmsa has come to see Their Highnesses Princess Ikio and Princess Nemai," her guard announced.

Nemai's sweet voice sounded from inside, "Ialla?" The door pulled slowly open to reveal the golden-clad, orange-blond princess standing in its arch. She looked over her visitor's clothing and her teal eyes darkened, "Why are you wearing-- oh never mind, just come in."

Sailor Jancarmsa moved forward but the guards appeared reluctant to move.

Ikio appeared behind her sister with a swish of midnight blue skirts, "Oh just let her in. She's almost as royal as we are."

The pair of guards snapped to attention and immediately moved out of the way. The tall blond strode confidently between them and shut the door after her.

"Come and sit down," Nemai urged, moving over to a set of plush couches, "You have obviously traveled a long way."

"I dare not take the time," Sailor Jancarmsa answered gravely.

"What do you mean?" Ikio asked, "Why are you wearing that anyway? You can make people unnecessarily nervous that way."

"I wear it because it gives me power in two necessary ways," Jancarmsa explained evenly, "First, it gives me respect and recognition in the Golden City, and second, it gives me the power to fight.

"Fight?" Ikio asked quietly.

"Yahrn is under attack. The Eeshae Outpost has already been demolished," she answered firmly.

"That cannot be true!" Nemail exclaimed in disbelief.

"Ena just came to my palace to inform me before she went back to collect Sivah, Rinnale, and Mieaka to help her fight. She sent me to tell you," she explained.

"Rinnale is here at court to contest about the trade laws on Nearah," Nemai said, white in the face from shock as she rose from her couch and walked over to the door. She opened it and ordered the maid stationed there with the guards, "Fetch Her Highness Princess Rinnale of Nearah immediately. It is urgent."

"But she is in--" the maid protested.

"Do it now," Nemai ordered, "I order her to come and that dispels any of her current appointments."

"Yes Highness!" the frantic maid bowed low and hurried away, stumbling in her attempt to run.

Not two minutes later, the princess of the forest planet stormed into the room, shutting the door noisily behind her. "Ikio, Nemai!" she started loudly as she brushed her dark green locks from her face, "This had better be good. I was just-- Ialla? What are you doing here? Wearing _that?_"

"Yahrn is under attack and Ena needs our help," the slightly taller princess answered quickly and then quickly explained all she knew to the other three royals.

Ikio glanced at her sister when Sailor Jancarmsa finished her narration then said, "Let's transform and leave, we have no time to waste."

"Vnahm Solar Power, Makeup!"

"Deethbws Solar Power, Makeup!"

"Nearah Planet Power, Makeup!"

Sailor Jancarmsa nodded at the three of them, "Let's go."

The quartet burst from the room and strode down the hallway, not waiting for the usual guard escort. Like this, they could defend themselves easily. As they turned into the transport room, Sailor Vnahm paused to speak to one of the guards that had struggled to keep up with them, "Tell Their Majesties and no one else: Yahrn is under attack and we are going to assist in pushing off the enemies." With that, she followed the other three Sailor Senshi into the room and carefully stepped onto the small platform with them, just barely fitting.

Sailor Deethbws sighed and asked, "To Yahrn?"

"Yes," Sailor Nearah nodded, "To Yahrn."

"Alright," Deethbws said then started, "Wsoo..."

The other three senshi joined in the chant, "Yahrn thdeen mwsahrnm lleen nyae!"

They whizzed through space towards the small ice planet, only to arrive to destruction.


	2. A Hopeless Fight

From Beyond

_A Hopeless Fight_

"Jancarmsa!" The thin, dark-clad Sun Senshi called frantically, "You and Sailor Yahrn go around the back. Deewsdae and Oornahfthae have gotten themselves into quite a bad place. Go _now_!" Only sparing a moment's distraction, Sailor Vnahm turned back to the onslaught of Negaverse _Youma_. "Vnahm Sun Shadow!"

Not waiting to see the outcome of her leader's attack, Sailor Jancarmsa called back, "Yes Highness!" as she bolted away. Her wavy, blond ponytail of hair was coming loose, but she didn't care. Her bodice was ripped and her lavender skirt and collar were torn. Her teal bows were almost untied and ripped as well. Sweat fell down her face as she scanned the chaos for the youngest of their team of senshi, Sailor Yahrn.

She found the tiny girl dodging a beam of dark energy and attacking it back, quick as lightning, the ice senshi's specialty. "Yahrn Ice Crystal Beam!" she yelled, barely panting. The nearest several _Youma_ screeched and disappeared. Sailor Yahrn was in better shape. She was small, agile, and lightning quick where as her older colleague, Sailor Jancarmsa, was the tallest of the senshi by a long ways and almost a walking target at her height. Her ice blue skirt and collar were in near perfect condition and her pale pink bows were only a little torn on the edges. The only sign that she had been fighting for almost two days straight was that her boyishly short, curly, blond hair was quite messy from jumping around.

Jancarmsa grabbed the hand of the younger senshi and continued running, Yahrn took the hint and followed her and a fast sprint. "Deewsdae and Oornahfthae are in desperate need of help," Jancarmsa said as they ran, dodging the constant blasts of dark energy.

The seven senshi of the Moodahrn Sheernshdae system were all on the outermost, icy planet of Yahrn. The Negaverse had suddenly appeared there and began to take the energy of the people living there to feed the entity behind them. Despite their powers, the senshi were no match for the masses of Negaverse creatures sent at them. They had not even seen any of the people behind the attacks yet.

The two senshi pulled out of the chaos of _Youma_ and rushed up an icy ridge. When they reached the top, the tiny senshi made an abrupt stop while Sailor Jancarmsa skidded a little farther and nearly fell.

"There," Sailor Yahrn said plainly, pointing off at another cluster of _Youma_ surrounding two senshi. Blasts of gray-blue and orange energy could be seen occasionally above the black energy blasts.

"That's definitely them," Jancarmsa commented quietly, gained her footing on the ice-covered ground and broke into a hard sprint. She just had to save them.

From their vantage point, the two senshi could see that the Negaverse creatures were pushing their two colleagues into a corner of a canyon with no hope of escape.

After a long hard run, Sailor Jancarmsa and Sailor Yahrn finally reached the mass of creatures. From deep within the group they could hear familiar shrieks.

"Are you ready little one?" Sailor Jancarmsa asked breathlessly.

"Never better," she answered in what would normally have been brightly, but now it was beyond grave.

Without another word, the two senshi joined hands. Purple and ice blue energy sparkled around them.

"Far Near Collide Attack!" the yelled. Bright light ricocheted everywhere and all of the _Youma_ near by disintegrated. That was one of the strongest things that they could ever do, however, it was very draining. Jancarmsa was the closest planet to the twin suns and Yahrn was the farthest, making it a powerful attack.

Sailor Oornahfthae, senshi of the orange planet, was sprawled out on the ground and in pain. Her bright pink skirt and collar were practically shredded and not much remained of her orange bows. Her salmon colored hair was in a mess worse than Yahrn's. Sailor Deewsdae was standing valiantly in front of her fallen friend, tiara visor still across her face. Her fuku, various shades of gray-blue in color, was not in as bad as condition as Oornahfthae's but still worse than Jancarmsa's. She looked exhausted.

"It's about time you got here," Oornahfthae said, attempting a cheerful tone, but was in too much pain to do so.

"Mieaka!" Sailor Jancarmsa exclaimed and hurriedly kneeled next to her best friend, "Are you alright?"

"Never better!" Mieaka, Sailor Oonrahfthae, replied in a strained voice as she placed on hand on Sailor Jancarmsa's shoulder and gradually pulled herself up. Jancarmsa rose quickly to face her. Oornahfthae shook herself, her mane of salmon-pink hair lashing out in all directions and giving all of the other senshi a shower of ice crystals. "Yahrn," she started weakly, "Can't your planet be any warmer?"

At a loss for words, Sailor Yahrn shook her head and smiled a sweet yet forced smile.

"Hey!" Sailor Deewsdae cut in after half-a-moment's silence, "Have any of you seen Sailor Nerah... You all know what she's notorious for!"

Both Sailor Jancarmsa' and Yahrn's eye widened. "No..." Jancarmsa gasped quietly.

A flash of green light lit up a ridge not far away.

"Let's go!" Oornahfthae declared and started running in the direction of the ridge as fast as her tired and injured body would carry her.

The others nodded and fell into a quick pace. Sailor Yahrn quickly took the lead, Jancarmsa just shortly behind her, Deewsdae jogging along behind _her_, and finally Oornahfthae straggling behind.

When they reached where they had seen the blast of Sailor Nerah's energy she and the creatures she had been fighting were nowhere to be seen.

"Nerah!" Sailor Jancarmsa called breathlessly.

When no answer came, she continued running, at her top speed, over the ridge. There she found the senshi of the forest planet alternately, punching, kicking, blasting, and thorning a group of monsters, considerably smaller than the one that had seen her surround with before, but it was still too much for her to handle.

The tall, blond senshi paused for a moment to gather her strength then attacked as she rushed at the monsters.

"Jancarmsa Life Melody Entrance!"

Moments later, the other senshi followed.

"Yahrn Ice Crystal Beam!"

"Deewsdae Intense Breeze Blast!"

"Oornahfthae Fiery Incineration!"

A good portion of the creatures disappeared. Sailor Nerah glanced over her shoulder at her rescuers and darted through the opening towards them.

"Thanks," she said plainly then cocked her head impatiently, "So what are we waiting for? Sailor Planet Attack?"

"Right!" Deewsdae agreed and the five girls joined hands.

"Jancarmsa Planet Power!"

"Deewsdae Planet Power!"

"Oornahfthae Planet Power!"

"Nerah Planet Power!"

"Yahrn Planet Power!"

Points of violet, gray-blue, orange, emerald green, and ice blue gathered around each of the senshi's tiaras. When the points of light had reached their height of power, the five girls yelled together, "Sailor Planet Attack!" The combined blast of pure energy destroyed most of the group of monsters. The Sailor Senshi were so drained, even their most powerful attacks had little effect.

Nerah's face was, as usual, impossible to read. "Let's get back to Deethbws and Vnahm!" she commanded rather than suggested and so the five senshi of Moodahrn Sheernshahdae tore off for where their two leaders fought valiantly.

Taking turns attacking, the five girls were able to blast their way through the masses of evil creatures to Sailor Deethbws and Sailor Vnahm, the twin star senshi.

Without a word, Jancarmsa, Deewsdae, Nerah, Oornahfthae, and Yahrn joined the fight making for seven senshi. In a short lull while the senshi rebuilt their reserves, Sailor Deewsdae turned to her five soldiers. "My sister and I have been talking," she began breathlessly, "We are fighting a loosing battle. If things do not change in the next several minutes, we are ordering you five to leave. Warn the other systems."

"But Princess—!" Sailor Jancarmsa protested.

"No buts, Ialla," Sailor Vnahm said firmly, "We're putting you in charge of the other four while we attempt to make a last stand against this evil."

"Deewsdae Dust Cloud Choke-Out!" the second youngest senshi yelled, attacking the newest wave of monsters.

Before the attack reached its targets, all of the creatures froze in place. There was a feminine cackle from amidst the vile beings and a woman with bright red, flowing hair and a deep purple dress gracefully stepped through the masses followed by four men carrying swords and shields.

The woman put her large staff in the crook of her arm and mockingly applauded. "Wonderful job Sailor Senshi of Moodahrn Sheernshahdae," she said with a wide smirk, "I, Queen Beryl, shall take pleasure in taking the life energies from the people of your planets for the great Queen Matilda!"

"You will do no such thing," Sailor Nerah snarled, stepping forward.

One of the men behind Queen Beryl snickered as Beryl replied: "Watch me." Raising her dark staff she aimed it at Nerah and let loose a blast of dark energy.

Quick as lightning, Sailor Yahrn darted out and shoved her older friend out of the way and dove away just in time to be missed by the dark blast entirely.

Looking unmoved, Sailor Vnahm stepped forward into position so that Beryl could not reach any of her five soldiers with her dark blast. "Nerah is correct," she commented casually, "You _will not_ take the energies from our planets. Not if we can help it."

As Sailor Deethbws stepped forward into position as well she whispered frantically to Jancarmsa. "Run!" Then she directed a hard glare at the evil queen, "Prepare to deal with the wrath of the suns!"

Sailor Jancarmsa's eyes widened silently. Quickly, she grabbed one of Sailor Yahrn's hands in her left and one of Oornahfthae's in her right. She broke into a hard run as Deewsdae and Nerah followed them. They pushed easily through the crowd of _Youma_ that surrounded them and took off across the icy expanses of the planet of Yahrn.

It took a moment for Beryl and her generals to understand what was going on. From behind them, they could hear someone shout, "Stop them _Youma_! They're getting away!"

Meanwhile, Jancarmsa lead them for the highest ridge in sight. _Not... much... further..._ she though desperately, her will and energy to run were falling dangerously low as the evil beings chased them right at their heels and blasted them periodically with dark energy. They hurt, ached, and longed to rest but none of them dared to pause for a moment or even look back.

They finally reached the ridge and frantically grabbed hands in a circle, yelling off their power commands as fast as they could:

"Jancarmsa Planet Power!"

"Deewsdae Planet Power!"

"Oornahfthae Planet Power!"

"Nerah Planet Power!"

"Yahrn Planet Power!"

Then together they yelled, "Blast off!" The five senshi were propelled into space in a glowing bubble of white light just as the _Youma_ reached them. In the distance, the could see twin blasts of light being consumed by a single blast of dark energy. Twin screams echoed over the snowy plains of the planet...

The five girls rested inside their energy sphere as the headed towards the nearest system, The Sol System, home of the Silver and Golden Millenniums.

One dark, ominous though hung over all of their heads: there were no longer seven senshi of the Moodahrn Sheernshahdae System. Now there were just five.


	3. Dark Premonition

Dark Premonition

Standing on a balcony in her jet-black gown with her waist-length, dark green hair being teased lightly by the wind, the girl gazed blankly out at the stars. Her garnet eyes stared calculating outward; something was on her mind. Even at just 17 years of age, Princess Pluto was an imposing figure.

Something had been grating at her mind all day. From the moment she woke up in the morning, she could feel that something was coming. The questions was, what.

Pluto had been debating who to ask about it, as the computers showed nothing. She could just be paranoid, but her instinctive protectiveness of the Sol System stopped her from just brushing off the feeling. She could contact Princess Mars, who knew much more about premonitions, but Pluto didn't want to bother any of Princess Serenity's inner guardians. Those four girls were very important to the Princess.

She could always contact Princess Uranus, who always seemed to know what to do. Or possibly, she could contact Princess Neptune. Neptune had always been a good friend to her in the past.

All of them would probably think that she was overreacting, so the best person to turn to was, once again, her mother.

Princess Pluto knew exactly where to find her mother: as it was not time for audiences, she was guarding the Time Gate. When Pluto arrived, her mother was staring off into the mists of time meditatively. Her hair was a slightly lighter shade than her daughter's, as were her eyes and skin. Her wavy green hair fell down to her ankles; part done up in a bun with a braid circling the base of it. Queen Meiousei was as beautiful as her daughter was striking.

"Mother?" Pluto asked quietly, resting her silver time staff lightly on the ground. On top of her staff, rested her talisman: the Garnet Orb. The staff her mother carried was made of a much darker silver metal that was almost black with her Onyx Orb resting at the top.

The queen turned gracefully around, pivoting on one foot. Few people ever saw her like this, in black and red Sailor Fuku. "Setsuna-chan, my daughter," she answered, using her child's given name that few people knew, in stead of her common title, "What is on your mind?"

"I have been sensing all day that something is coming. It's ominous," the princess explained.

A worried look crossed her face. "Have you been checking the computers?"

Pluto nodded, "There is absolutely nothing from the Kinmoku, Mau, and Mermaid systems or any of their neighboring ones."

The queen's frown deepened further yet. "Have you examined the Moodahrn Sheernshahdae system recently? There's been some dark and evil going-on's there for about the last week."

"No," Pluto shook her head, "I'd forgotten them. That system is so far away."

"It's very remote, you must remember," her mother responded, "And we are the closest system to them, so any threat to them is a threat to us."

"I will check on that then," Princess Pluto said and turned to go, "And thank you Mother."

"Any time, my darling."

Pluto hurried to the computer control room and switched on the giant monitor. Punching in the coordinates, she zeroed in on the Moodahrn Sheernshahdae System. Sure enough, there was a group of beings unidentified to the computer that was traveling full speed towards the Sol System, specifically Pluto.

"You were right Mother, it is coming from the Moodahrn Sheernshahdae system, and it is made of some very powerful beings," Pluto explained hurriedly.

"Always trust your instincts Setsuna-chan," she answered calmly, "You had better contact Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn about this immediately."

"But it is coming right here, to Pluto!" the girl protested, "Shouldn't you Queen Tennousei, Queen Kaiousei, and Queen Dosei handle this? You are all much older and more experienced, after all."

Queen Meiousei calmly shook her head, "I have never told you this, but you are much stronger than I ever was. Your power is already so strong it baffles me. I believe it is so with all of the princesses, that they are stronger than their mothers. Just think of it this way: this is a the chance for you four to prove yourselves."

Pluto blushed, "So I will contact the others right away. Thank you again."

Her mother just smiled as she left.

Back in the computer control room again, Pluto immediately began typing in codes to put the computer in communicator mode. The monitor was still on being that she had forgotten to turn it off when she hurried back to the Time Gate before. After a few moments of waiting, Princess Uranus' head fuzzed into view. The sandy blond girl was panting, she obviously ran to her own control room when she got an emergency call from Pluto.

"Pluto?" she asked breathlessly, smoothing her midnight blue dress absently.

"We've got a group of five beings, relatively strong ones, heading straight for Pluto and the Sol System," she explained tersely.

"Where from?" the slightly younger girl responded, gathering her icy calm about her again.

"The Moodahrn Sheernshahdae System," she answered, "There's been some very evil beings attacking that system for the last week or so."

"So we're their next target," Uranus nodded thoughtfully, "I'll get Princess Neptune and inform her of our current situation and we will get there are soon as we can. You make sure Princess Saturn knows about this. How long do we have until these beings arrive on Pluto?"

Pluto glanced at a smaller screen that was still tracking the group in space, "Not long at all. They could beat you here with the speed they are going at if you do not hurry. They will almost certainly arrive before Saturn does."

Uranus nodded, "If they arrive before Neptune and I do, do what you can to stall them. You're a strong senshi, but just don't provoke them. If all of us together cannot handle them, we can call in the inner senshi or even the queens. Just don't provoke them."

Pluto nodded and, before she could reply, the screen went blank. She glanced nervously at the smaller screen with the advancing group. Trying not to think about it, she mumbled to herself, "So Uranus and Neptune are taken care of. Now I just need to contact Princess Saturn..."

In a few moments, Saturn's face was on the large screen. She was much younger than Pluto, being only 9 years old, but still a highly powerful senshi. Like Uranus, the young dark-haired girl looked like she had just run to her own screen when paged. "Pluto-san?" she panted, "I got the emergency call. What's going on?"

Pluto swallowed hard and began, "We have some unidentified and powerful beings heading straight for Pluto and the Sol System."

"Oh?" Saturn commented, not seeming remotely worried, "How powerful and where from?"

"I do not know exactly how powerful, but strong enough to rival a senshi," she answered, "And they are coming from the direction of the Moodahrn Sheernshahdae System, recently under attack for the last week by some powerful darkness."

"I see," Saturn nodded, "So that evil is headed for us now that it's finished with them."

Pluto only nodded nervously again. Not only was she unnerved by the prospect of having to fight some new invaders, and possibly hold them off by herself for a while, but Saturn's level gaze and blank face also unnerved her. The girl's violet eyes were always unreadable and the powers that she, as the Soldier of Destruction, held were frightening.

"How soon until they arrive at your planet?" the young princess asked smoothly.

"They'll arrive before you even if you leave right now," Pluto answered, absently running her hand through her long dark green hair, "Possibly even before Uranus and Neptune as well."

Saturn nodded. "Then I should hurry out there. Good luck," she responded then added with a slight grin, "and save some of them for me. I want some of the excitement as well." After a short giggle, the girl's face blanked off the screen.

After a moment of stunned silence at what she had to do, Pluto moved into action. She transferred the small image of the approaching group to the larger screen and ran some quick calculations while finding Uranus and Neptune. Uranus was close to Neptune by now, but, from the speed that the invaders were going, they would definitely beat the other three outer senshi to Pluto.

She would have to leave the large Pluto palace in orbit above the planet and descend to its surface, as the strong protections on the palace would make them unable to land at the palace. Besides, it was much easier to wreak havoc on the planet's cities than on the fortified palace.

Summoning a small lavender and blue wand, Princess Pluto raised it into the air. "Pluto Planet Power, Makeup!" she shouted. After a few moments of being surrounded in indigo mists, she emerged as Sailor Pluto with her silver time key in hand. She scanned the screens again and calculated where the invaders would land. To her surprise and luck, it was in a remote spot miles from any cities.

With one last glance at the screens, Sailor Pluto switched them off and prepared to make the trip down to her planet. She raised her talisman into the air and shouted, "Sailor Teleport!" Indigo energy gathered around her until she glowed with it then she disappeared from the computer control room.

Sailor Pluto appeared just above the cold rocky ground in the sparse northern part of the planet. Gently hovering down to the ground, she landed with a light click of her heels and the staff.

The dark senshi scanned the starry sky slowly, looking for the moving point of light that would be her enemies in battle in a short amount of time. There, just above the horizon, she saw it. It was growing definitely larger each minute and flashing between violet, gray-blue, ice blue, green, and orange as it moved, suggesting that there were, in fact, five beings. On the other horizon, she could see the teal body of Neptune obscuring the view with a bright star in the distance: the sun. There was a point of deep blue and teal moving from the large teal planet towards Pluto. This was a reassuring sight to Sailor Pluto.

"Sailor Deewsdae," Jancarmsa asked as they neared the small gray planet "Is this the Sol System's outermost planet?"

"It is," the girl nodded, still scanning the area through her visor, "I don't think we can land on the palace there. It is covered in protections. I say we just keep with our course straight for that barren patch on the northern part of the planet."

"Sounds good," Jancarmsa commented, fixing her deep blue eyes on the spot where they were to land and something caught her eye even in the distance.

Oornahfthae noticed her best friend's concentrated look and steady gaze. "Ialla," she started, "What is it?"

"There's most definitely something there," she explained, her eyes still fixed unblinkingly to the spot, "Where we are bound to land."

Sailor Yahrn squinted off into the darkness as well, her green eyes sharper than her older companion's. "Yes, you're right," she agreed, "It looks like a person from the shape." She paused and squinted harder then continued more firmly, "It's almost definitely a Sailor Senshi as well."

"A powerful one from the feel of it," Sailor Nearah added, after probing with her senses, "Very powerful."

"Well then we're in luck!" Sailor Oornahfthae said brightly.

"Or doomed," Nearah added in a low quiet voice. Only Deewsdae heard her, and shot the older girl a sharp look.

Pluto saw them coming from a distance and was shocked when she could finally tell what they were: a group of five Sailor Senshi. She quickly ducked behind some rocks in a small crater and waited in hiding.

Several minutes later, the silence was broken by the sound of five pairs of feet scrambling for even footing on the rough rocky ground.

"So this is the Sol System we've heard so much about," a low, dark voice said softly, as if in awe.

"Nearah," a very high voice answered, "We've got a job to do. This place is doomed to destruction just like the system we left."

"Wait!" another more cheerful voice interrupted as the footsteps started up again, "Didn't you say that you saw someone here Ialla? Shouldn't we be looking out for them?"

"You're right Sailor Oornahfthae," a cool and musical voice answered authoritatively, "We need to find that senshi first."

"No need to look," the first deep voice interrupted, "She's just hiding over there."

After a pause and the sound of more scrambling, the authoritative voice called, "Come out! We know you are there. There is no point in hiding."

Sailor Pluto straightened herself out and gracefully turned out from behind the boulder and into the open, making an impressive entrance as she possibly could. Taking an impressive stance with her talisman shining beside her in the gray rock, she proclaimed defiantly, "Protected by Pluto, Soldier of Revolution, I am Sailor Pluto! It is my duty to protect this system as the outermost guardian. Who are you to come here?" As she stood from her prominent position on a slight rise, she surveyed the group. The centermost figure was the tallest with light blond hair in a high curly ponytail wearing teal and violet sailor fuku. To her immediate right was a much shorter, but not much younger, girl with salmon colored hair to her waist clad in pink and orange. To the blond girl's immediate left was a girl clad in two shades of gray blue with long gray blue hair to match, her skin slightly darker than her companions. To the far right was another tall girl, a full hand shorter than the center senshi but still distinctly tall wearing green and brown with green hair in a thin looping ponytail. Lastly, the girl to the far left was the smallest and youngest of them all with a head of short curly light blond hair and ice blue and pink sailor fuku. All of them looked tattered and warn out yet determined to get what they wanted.

"I am Sailor Jancarmsa, and these are my fellow soldiers," the tall center senshi said with a musical and authoritative voice, gesturing left to right: "Sailor Nearah, Sailor Deewsdae, Sailor Oornahfthae, and Sailor Yahrn. We have come for the Queen Serenity."

"What?" Pluto asked in disbelief.

"Take us to her!" the salmon-haired senshi urged.

"I am afraid that cannot be permitted," Sailor Pluto said firmly, but at heart she was very unsure and nervous. Her mind whirled. _These senshi look like kind senshi, but their demands are frightening. They want the High Queen of our system! What for? I hope the others get here soon... Uranus will know what to do and back me up...._

"Then we'll have to force our way past you to the queen!" the green and brown clad Sailor Nearah said, leaping forward, "Nearah Thorn Strike!"

"Rinnale! Don't!" Sailor Yahrn shrieked.

Brown woody thorns shot straight for Sailor Pluto and she dove and rolled out of the way, still getting struck by some of the painful missiles.

Pluto drew in a sharp breath and hurried back to her feet. Casting an angry look at Sailor Nearah, she raised her staff. "Chronos Cyclone!" The tall girl was blown backwards and flattened by the attack, as was the smaller gray-blue clad senshi.

"I will not allow this!" Sailor Jancarmsa's midnight blue eyes narrowed, "Jancarmsa Life Melody Entrance!"

Sailor Pluto suddenly found herself very dizzy and weak as the other senshi shouted their attacks. She groaned in anticipation.

"Yahrn Ice Crystal Beam!"

"Oornahfthae Fiery Incineration!"

"Deewsdae Intense Breeze Blast!"


	4. Continuing

From Beyond

_Continuing_

Knocked flat on her back by the attacks, Sailor Pluto had not lost consciousness, but was breathless and aching.

"She's down," Sailor Oornahfthae observed triumphantly.

"But not for good," Sailor Jancarmsa continued, "we can't let our guards down yet."

Pluto strained to hear their hushed conversation as her head spun. _I have to make a moving target of myself. I think I am stronger than them, and they look exhausted. I'll wear them out by the time my help arrives. _She reaches for her time key and used it to pull herself up from the dusty, cold ground, her muscles protesting every movement. As she rose, her adversaries seemed distracted by their own conversation.

"We don't want to kill her," Jancarmsa said firmly, "We just need to immobilize her long enough to power up and move on."

"Since she doesn't seem to want to help us," Nearah griped, dusting herself off.

"Why do you think that I would help you kidnap my High Queen, or worse?" Pluto asked loudly, as she walked confidently towards them, trying to hide her stiffness. "I am one of her guardians!"

"But that's not what we—" Sailor Yahrn protested.

"We only want to—" Sailor Deethbws shouted to be heard over her companion.

Both were cut short by Pluto's attack. "Chronos Cyclone!" she yelled.

The two protesting senshi were struck by the attack and knocked off their feet, taking Nearah to the ground with them.

"Deewsdae! Yahrn!" Oornahfthae shrieked.

Heaving the two smaller girls and herself to their feet, the green-clad soldier growled, "I've had enough of your bullying! You think you can face all five of us alone? Nearah Thorn—" Before she could finish her attack, her face, as well the faces of her companions, drained of color. Their eyes focused on something behind Pluto.

"Invited by a new era, Soldier of Magnificence, I am Sailor Uranus!"

"Invited by a new era, Soldier of Embrace, I am Sailor Neptune!"

"There's more of you?" Sailor Oornahfthae moaned.

"Sailor Senshi?" Sailor Neptune whispered to Uranus in hushed shock as they approached Sailor Pluto.

Deewsdae, hand on her control bracelet, quickly examined the new soldiers. Tapping Sailor Jancarmsa on the arm, she whispered, "They're just as powerful as Sailor Pluto. Our odds don't look good."

"Have these girls been giving you trouble?" Uranus asked loudly, clearly unbothered by being outnumbered.

"They want to us to let them get at Queen Serenity," Pluto summarized so quietly that only her two companions could hear her. "From right to left it's Sailor Nearah, Sailor Yahrn, Sailor Deewsdae, Sailor Jancarmsa, who appears to be the leader, and Sailor Oornahfthae."

"That's a bold move to make, attacking you and demanding the queen," Uranus assessed.

"I don't understand though," Neptune said slowly, "Why would the senshi of the Moodahrn Sheernshahdae system want to attack us?"

Before either girl could respond, Sailor Nearah announced, "Enough pleasantries! Forest Call!"

Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto scattered out of the way of the attack across the loose ground and immediately whirled around to return fire.

"World Shaking!"

"Deep Submerge!"

"Dead Scream!"

Nearah, caught off-guard by the quick retaliation, took the full effect of the three attacks all at once. She screamed as if her insides were being torn out then collapsed into the dust, moaning weakly.

"Rinnale!" Jancarmsa screamed and ran over to her, the other three hesitantly following. The tall soldier knelt down next to her friend and gently lifted her head into her lap. "Rinnale, are you alright?"

Sailor Nearah wheezed out a sort of laugh. "Do I look alright?" she asked, jokingly.

Points of green light began to emit from her body.

"Rinnale! You're—" Oornahfthae started, but Nearah waved her fingers to silence her.

"I know," she said weakly. "Ialla, I'm sorry I couldn't have done more for you…" she trailed off, gasping for breath.

"Don't say that," Jancarmsa said firmly, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I tried…" she whispered as her eyes went out of focus, "I'm coming Ikio, Nemai…" Nearah's eyes gently drooped shut and her body grew limp as the last of the green light floated up to space.

"No!" Sailor Jancarmsa screamed, releasing her friend's body.

"Rinnale!" Oornahfthae wailed.

"Come back to us!" Yahrn whispered hopefully.

Meanwhile, Deewsdae stood in mute shock.

"She's dead," Neptune observed, clearly unsure whether to be proud or horrified. She had never killed another person before.

"One less senshi to fight," Pluto added unenthusiastically.

Sailor Jancarmsa stood slowly, her deep blue eyes cold and full of hate. "We will show no mercy," she announced.

"And neither will we," Sailor Uranus retorted with indifference equal to her coldness.

"But we still have you outnumbered," Oornahfthae said firmly, both to discourage her enemies and to encourage her friends.

"No," a young voice disagreed, "You don't."

Everyone's eyes darted around, in search of the source of the voice. Pluto, Uranus, and Neptune already knew who the new arrival was.

Sailor Saturn stepped out from behind a large boulder with a slight grimace on her otherwise blank face. "Invited by a new era, Soldier of Death and Rebirth, I am Sailor Saturn!"


	5. The End of the Road

**From Beyond  
**_The End of the Road_

Sailor Saturn strode forward towards her companions, keeping her glaive pointed towards the four remaining Moodahrn Sheernshahdae soldiers all the while. "I think I understand the situation here," she said to Neptune, Pluto and Uranus. She took her gaze from her enemy for a moment as she spoke to her allies but turned back and announced threateningly over the dusty ground, "Leave now or die."

A cold wind blew across the barren face of Pluto, but only Sailor Jancarmsa shivered.

Sailor Deewsdae boldly took several steps forward away from the relative protection of her group and yelled, clenched fists waving, "We have no home to go to any more. The promise of the beauty and _justice _of the Silver Millennium got us this far. We can't go back and we can't get any farther on our own."

Sailor Pluto shifted uneasily but her companions' expressions remained hard. The mention of justice made her wonder whether their actions were just or not.

Rushing up to join Deewsdae, Sailor Yahrn cried out across the barren ground, "Queen Metallia destroyed everything, and she's certainly not satisfied with our little system. You need to watch out!"

"Your queen? I'm not interested in politics of Medren Shrinshad," Sailor Uranus barked. "Enough chit-chat!" She rushed towards the two youngest girls, Space Sword flashing. Sailor Saturn dashed after her while Neptune and Pluto prepared to bring up the rear.

"Move!" Jancarmsa shrieked. Uranus was coming at the two younger girls too fast. _She moves like the wind!_

Sailor Oornahfthae acted more quickly than her tall companion. "Oornahfthae Fiery Incineration!" she yelled and hastily threw a burst of oranges flames into the battle.

Sailor Uranus was in front of them before either of the younger girls could move. She sliced her sword towards Yahrn, who dove wide-eyed out of the way, right into Oornahfthae's poorly-aimed flames. Oornahfthae gasped and grasped at the air, but the blaze was out her control. Yahrn screamed, frozen with pain, until the blast subsided. At the same moment, Uranus redirected her missed swipe at Yahrn and lunged a few steps towards the other girl, driving the blade of the Space Sword deep into Sailor Deewsdae's chest. Wrenching it free, Uranus stepped back out of the way. Deewsdae's screams mingled with Yahrn's moans as she staggered backwards, staring open-mouthed at the crimson streams gushing from the wound in her chest. Red blood soaked her white bodice and color drained from her skin. She stumbled over her own feet and tumbled back onto the ground. Already, a dusky blue aura began to appear around her, points of light escaping from her body. Only an arm's length away, Sailor Yahrn panted and wheezed, doubled over in pain.

"No!" Jancarmsa screamed; tears had already begun to blur her vision, "Janca-carms-s-sa L-life Me-mel-lody—!" Ialla choked on sobs before she could finish. Sailor Saturn slashed into the fray and attacked stabbed Sailor Yahrn right through her middle. Wrenching her glaive free, she threw the tiny soldier to the ground.

Sailor Pluto gasped and froze, all thoughts of attacking fleeing from her mind. As the two girls lay on the ground, she realized just how young they were. Tears welled into Neptune's eyes and she looked away. She couldn't bear to look on the carnage. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sailor Uranus tense up and prepare to dash at the two remaining senshi. "Uranus," she cried, "Wait!"

Uranus shot her a quizzical glare, but quickly softened up.

"Giving them just a moment couldn't hurt, could it?" Neptune pleaded, taking one hesitant step towards her.

Jancarmsa and Oornahfthae expectantly flicked their eyes between Uranus and Saturn and their two bleeding friends, poised ready to fight.

Sailor Uranus finally relaxed her stance and submitted, "Fine." She then turned to Jancarmsa and Oornahfthae and murmured, "No funny business, or you're toast, understand?" before ushering Saturn reluctantly back towards Pluto and Neptune.

Immediately, Oornahfthae and Jancarmsa scurried over the rough ground to where their companions lay. The tall blond knelt down by Sailor Yahrn, grasping her hand tightly, while Oornahfthae cradled Sailor Deewsdae. Yahrn coughed forcefully and blood spurted from her mouth. Her whole body convulsed. "Ialla, I'm sorry," she wheezed. Light pink points of light radiated from the tiny girl's body.

"D-don't s-say that Ena," Jancarmsa stammered through sobs. She reached her hand down towards the wound in Yahrn's chest and her hand began to glow violet.

Yahrn tried to brush her hand away, but couldn't reach her own hand far enough. Groaning, she whispered, "No, don't waste it… I'm gone…"

Jancarmsa pulled back, and choking on sobs, scooped up the girl and pulled her into a close embrace, ignoring the oozing burns and the free-flowing blood from her back. She buried her face in Yahrn's curly hair and murmured, "I-I I'm s-sorry, Ena. I-I sh-sho-should hav-ve, sh-should have…"

In Oornahfthae's arms, Sailor Deewsdae moaned, moving her lips to speak, but nothing but wheezes passed through her mouth.

"Sivah, stay with me," Sailor Oornahfthae begged and squeezed Deewsdae's hands more tightly, "There's still hope."

She shook her head and mouthed, "Not for me." Tears ran down her dusty cheeks. Struggling for a moment, Deewsdae finally managed to whisper, "Please honor the princesses."

All at once, Sailor Yahrn's body exploded into pink light that floated towards the heavens. "Ena!" Jancarmsa screamed in anguish. She toppled to the dusty ground with empty but bloodied arms, shaking with shock and sorrow.

Sailor Deewsdae reached shakily up to Oornahfthae's face. She took a labored breath and whispered, "Good bye." She convulsed in pain one last time and her blue eyes grew vacant. A moment later, her body too disappeared into a flurry of blue light, mingling with Yahrn's pink and faded away into the star-speckled sky high above.

"She's gone," Oornahfthae whispered in disbelief, staring wide-eyed at her empty hands "they're all gone."

Sailor Jancarmsa slowly sat up then rose to her feet. "Ena, Sivah, Rinnale, Nemai, Ikio; they're all dead. Why?" she asked no one in particular, her voice cracking. Although her voice wavered near sobs, her tears had dried. Blue eyes stared coldly at the four soldiers that stood before her. _Maybe we don't stand a chance, but I can't forget the lives lost._

Sailor Oornahfthae too rose to her feet, mind reeling for a plan. Suddenly she leaped into action, yelling, "Oornahfthae Smoke Vents!" Thick smoke exploded from her outstretched hands and blanketed the area. Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Jancarmsa all sputtered and coughed, gasping for air. Having taken a deep breath, the fire senshi grabbed for her friend's hand and dragged the taller girl into a run. They sprinted through the obscuring smoke straight past their attackers and out of the dark cloud. Both girls gasped for air but didn't stop. In stead they plowed forward straight over the edge of a deep crater they had not noticed in the dim light.

Both held back shrieks of surprise as they tumbled down the dusty slope, knocking into each other and rocs on the slope as they rolled. Finally, they skidded to a panting halt at the bottom.

"Mieaka?" Jancarmsa asked and stiffly rose to her feet.

"With any luck, they won't think to look behind where they stood, and we can run to the nearest settlement when they look elsewhere for us," she responded as quietly as she could, standing as well.

"So now we stay here and hope they don't," Jancarmsa concluded, "and make a plan for a final stand in case they do."

"As it stands, there's just two of us to four of them with two wickedly-bladed weapons," Oornahfthae surmised, counting on her gloved fingers. "My attacks are a lot more destructive than yours, Ialla, but you can stun and drain them."

"So the plan is I stun first and you plow in with your flames, then?" Jancarmsa asked, still a little stunned herself.

"Or I could smoke-bomb them again and we run, but I don't think it would fool them again. Of course, that is if they catch us. We may yet find a settlement and hide there while we get the word out," the smaller girl chattered with such a quiet intensity that it almost frightened Sailor Jancarmsa out of her stupor. "So let's get going," she said and snatched Jancarmsa's bloodied hand again and dragged her into motion.

She aimed her quick strides for the opposite edge of the large crater, but the taller girl stopped her and tugged her hand away, "While it will take longer, we should stay in the shadows along the side here. It will give us some cover and might just keep us alive a little longer, at least until we reach the far side of the crater."

Sailor Oornahfthae nodded wordlessly and fell into step behind her. They walked in silence, eyes darting and ears perked for danger. They found no sign of their attackers; only the sounds of their own breathing and crunch of their shoes on the dusty ground carried on the still air.

Nearly two-thirds of the way to their destination, the heavy silence finally overwhelmed Sailor Jancarmsa as she spoke in a strained whisper, "I'm sorry Mieaka. I really haven't been a good leader at all. I watched three of us get slaughtered by those soldiers and froze up when it counted. Now, in stead of avenging them, I'm running. I can't even promise that we'll live much longer either. We can't run forever."

Her companion raised her head, and to Jancarmsa's surprise, her infallibly cheerful friend's eyes welled up with tears and she bit her lip to keep from sobbing. She swallowed and took a few deep breaths before answering, "Ialla, I'm the one who made us run. And I may as well be just as guilty in Ena's death as those senshi." Sobs threatened to overtake her, so Oornahfthae set her jaw and picked up a brisker pace. Jancarmsa lengthened her stride to match and neither said anything more.

They reached the far wall of the crater and began to ascend out of the shadows, adding to the dirt on their fuku and bruises on their bodies. As they neared the rim, a blur of teal and blue slid down into the crater, not twenty feet beyond them. Sailor Neptune skidded to a halt and brushed the dust off her gloves, gazing critically up at them.

"I knew you'd turn up somewhere," she murmured then yelled through cupped hands, "Found them!"

"Forget about stealth, faster!" Jancarmsa ordered, and the two of them scurried to the top of the slope. But as they pulled themselves over the top, chased by harmless echoes of "Neptune Deep Submerge" bouncing off the crater's slope, they found themselves nose-to-toe with three pairs of boots. As the pair scrambled to their feet, Sailor Neptune bounded up out of the crater to join them.

"No more fooling around now," Sailor Uranus said firmly and tightened her grip on the Space Sword, "We won't have you running loose on Pluto."

"I don't understand your motivation for all this," Neptune commented as she moved into place next to her allies, "Now that there's only two of you left."

"How could you understand?" Jancarmsa growled, balling her hands into fists, "My home is destroyed, my princesses, my friends, my family, all dead. When nothing else is left but someone's dying wish, your priorities would get a little scrambled too."

"Enough!" Sailor Saturn exclaimed and trust her glaive into the air. "Are you going to stand and fight like a Sailor Senshi or run and hide again?"

"We fight!" Sailor Jancarmsa roared.

"Ialla! Can't we try to talk this out again—" Oornahfthae said, grasping at Jancarmsa's arm and trying to hold her back.

"You heard her, let's fight!" Uranus interrupted her. She lunged, yelling, "time to get this over with!"

"Jancarmsa Life Melody Entrance!"

"Space Sword Blaster!"

The two attacks collided and exploded in a flash of blue and yellow but Jancarmsa collected herself more quickly and attacked again, "Jancarmsa Life Melody Entrance!"

This time, the attack managed the strike all four of the tightly-clustered senshi and knocked them to the ground. Stiff and groaning, they all struggled to their feet while Sailor Oornahfthae moved in to attack. "Oornahfthae Fiery Incineration!" she screamed. The brilliant orange flames caught Sailor Saturn, who staggered backwards, screaming. As she clutched her glaive for support, she wheezed, "It's time."

The other three nodded and methodically joined hands. Jancarmsa and Oornahfthae knew exactly what they were doing without needing any further cues.

"Run Ialla," Oornahfthae whispered urgently, raising her hands to attack, "I'll distract them."

"But I can't leave you too," Jancarmsa protested, eyes wide.

"Just do it. You're faster," she urged, "You're our last hope."

"But Mieaka!" she stammered.

"Sailor Planet…" the four enemy soldiers chanted. Yellow, teal, indigo, and violet power laced around them.

"Just go!" Oornahfthae shrieked and gave her friend a hard shove, masking her flight with a hurried, "Oornahfthae Smoke Vent!" Smoke billowed around Sailor Jancarmsa. Coughing and eyes stinging, she took off in the hardest sprint she ever had in her entire lifetime.

"Attack!" the four Sol Senshi chorused and the sound of an explosion coupled with Mieaka's screams followed it. Jancarmsa winced and slowed for a moment but her friend's words echoed in her head: _'You're our last hope.'_

A moment later, she heard a nearly unfamiliar voice rasp, "Oornahfthae Fiery Incineration!" Flames roared, someone yelped, and Jancarmsa's feet carried her farther and farther away. Through the chaos behind her, she heard one set of footsteps growing closer to her.

A voice called out, "Chronos Cyclone!" Sailor Oornahfthae let out a short scream and then was silent. "I'm sorry Ialla," Mieaka's whisper carried into her ear as if her friend ran right beside her. Without warning, her eyes filled with tears and she stumbled, giving her pursuer a chance to gain on her while she recovered.

Just then, the twinkling lights of a city broke over the horizon. Encouraged, Sailor Jancarmsa strained her legs to put on more speed, but she stumbled again and fell head-over heels onto the ground. She groaned and rolled over onto her back just as Sailor Uranus raced up to where she laid, grim smirk on her face. "Like the wind," Sailor Jancarmsa murmured.

"What?" Uranus asked, bending down a little towards her.

Sailor Jancarmsa sighed and let out a little laugh but did not move, "I guess this is the end then? No more running for me, but at least I can say I tried to fulfill their wishes."

"I can't fault you on your determination and loyalty," Sailor Uranus said, shrugging, but she did not loosen her grip on her weapon, "It's too bad we weren't on the same side."

Jancarmsa sighed again and closed her eyes. She tried to relax her whole body despite all the bruises and the rocky round she laid sprawled on. "Just get it over with, I'm ready," she said quietly.

"A moment ago I thought you'd never give up," Uranus asked more than stated.

"I'm stubborn but not stupid," she replied, as a small smile crossed her face, but her eyes remained closed. "If I move an inch, I'll have that blade through my heart, just like Sivah."

Sailor Uranus shook her head and murmured, "I can't believe I'm having second thoughts now."

"Please don't," Jancarmsa pleaded calmly. "I'm ready to join my friends. I've nothing left. Only, I'm sorry that I couldn't complete what I came here for. I'm sorry that soon you will all have a chance to feel what I have felt. I never thought it would end like this. We only meant good, but what's done is done."

"I'm not sure I'll ever understand what you mean," Uranus admitted and straightened up.

More footsteps approached, not as quickly this time. Uranus looked up and Jancarmsa even fluttered her eyes open for a moment to catch a glimpse of the three approaching senshi.

"What's going on?" Sailor Pluto asked as they neared.

"Please," Jancarmsa whispered, pleading.

Without another word, Sailor Uranus raised her sword and sliced it downward, yelling, "Space Sword Blaster!"

Sailor Jancarmsa screamed in pain, as the white-hot blast from Uranus's blade caught her. Jancarmsa's eyes shot wide open as she writhed on the ground. The edge of her vision soon gave way to blurred darkness dotted with soft purple light. She could feel herself fading from reality.

_I'm coming now._

Almost all at once, Sailor Jancarmsa's body exploded into violet light. Her bruised and bloodied body faded into nothing until only the light was left, floating up towards the stars. Uranus, Saturn, Neptune, and Pluto all watched in silence until the last of the purple light had faded into the dark sky. Even Uranus's triumphant smirk faded with it.

"Well," Sailor Pluto said at last, "It's done."

"And we've proved ourselves for the first time," Saturn said, but her voice lacked pride.

"I can't help feeling a little uneasy about this, somehow," Uranus admitted a little grudgingly.

"I feel the same," Sailor Neptune agreed. "Killing other Sailor Senshi, like ourselves seems somehow wrong, no matter what their goals were."

"'What's done is done.' What we can do now is go report this to Queen Serenity," Uranus said and the others nodded in agreement.

"Well, there's a teleporter in that city's system embassy we can use to get to the Moon," Pluto offered while gesturing at the flurry of lights off in the distance.

"But, dinner first?" Neptune interjected hopefully.

"Of course," Pluto agreed and the quartet began the long walk towards the city. Soon Sailor Pluto found herself staring up at the starry sky, searching idling for the star Deethbws and its system. _I wish we had more answers: Who is this Metalia? And what did capturing our queen have to do with the loss of their own. Maybe one day we'll understand them and their mission, even though they're gone now. _

10


End file.
